1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns an x-ray apparatus and an x-ray radiator.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A large part of the x-ray radiation produced by the x-ray tube of an x-ray radiator cannot be used for its Intended purpose, to produce an x-ray image of an examination subject or for the purposes of exposure, and is for radiation protection purposes must also be attenuated by means of suitable shielding measures. In order to suitably attenuate the extraneous x-ray radiation, which is know as x-ray leakage radiation, it is conventional for the housing of the x-ray radiator in which the x-ray tube is contained to be provided with a suitable x-ray-absorbing material. For example, the housing of an x-ray radiator is for the most part clad with lead as an x-ray-absorbing material, and is permeable for x-ray radiation only in the region of the x-ray exit window for the useful x-ray radiation.
Such cladding of the housing of the x-ray radiator, however, is relatively expensive. Moreover, the weight of the x-ray radiator, in particular with high-capacity radiators, increases significantly due to the lead cladding.